Olympics.com Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Cheerleading in England and the chemotherapy nurse Apr 24, 2019

Show notes

As Alexandra Banfield prepares to represent England at the 2019 ICU World Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Florida, the Solihull-based athlete explains how she balances an emotional job as a chemotherapy nurse with the rigours of training for a major competition. Plus, we sent influencer Gina Scarangella to London to see how the sport has grown in the country.

LINKS

Everything you need to know about the 2019 ICU World Cheerleading Championships

Ed Knowles on Twitter

Briana Williams – one of the fastest teenagers on the planet Apr 17, 2019

Show notes

She’s fast. She’s Jamaican. And she’s coached by four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon. Briana Williams won the 100m and 200m at the U20 World Championships. Now, she is hoping to reach the 2019 World Championships (‘if her coach knows what he’s doing’ – Ato’s words not ours!) and maybe even Tokyo 2020. We spoke to both about sunglasses, Jamaican beaches, and beating FloJo’s long-standing sprint records.

LINKS:

Briana Williams on Instagram

Ato Boldon on Twitter

Bobby Clay episode

The nurse who surprised the world to finish second at the Boston Marathon Apr 10, 2019

Show notes

The question on everyone’s lips was ‘Who is Sarah Sellers?’. The American beat the odds to finish second in the 2018 Boston Marathon. The Olympic Channel Podcast spoke to the full-time nurse about what’s changed a year on, her Tokyo 2020 chances, and why she will never pay for a first class flight.

LINKS:

The Ultimate Guide to the Boston Marathon

Olympians hail "incredible experience" of running a marathon in Pyongyang

Sarah Sellers on Instagram

Ed Knowles on Twitter

Friendship and figure skating: Evgenia Medvedeva, Jason Brown and Brian Orser Apr 03, 2019

Show notes

Coach Brian Orser has some of the best figure skaters in the world training at his famous ‘Cricket Club’ in Toronto, Canada.

Two of the newest additions to the team are Evgenia Medvedeva and Jason Brown.

“They do have a very special chemistry,” said Orser.

“They are from different backgrounds - but they seem to jive really well.”

Olympic champion Meryl Davis spoke exclusively to the pair and Brian Orser about what makes their relationship so unique.

LINKS:

How to fall in love with a figure skater with Aljona Savchenko’s husband Liam Cross

Daily blog from the world championships

Evgenia Medvedeva Instagram

Jason Brown Instagram

Brian Orser Instagram

Meryl Davis Instagram

Ed Knowles on Twitter

Katelyn Ohashi on viral ‘Perfect 10’ routine and legendary UCLA gymnastics coach Miss Val Mar 27, 2019

Show notes

Her phone totally blew up. After being out with friends, US gymnast Katelyn Ohashi came home to 50,000 more followers on social media.

We hear the full story behind the ‘Perfect 10’ routine that went viral, her friendship with Simone Biles, and the biggest life lesson from legendary coach Valorie Kondos Field.

The Olympic Channel Podcast also spoke to Miss Val about what’s next for American gymnastics and what she’s learnt in her three decades at UCLA.

LINKS

John Orozco podcast

Katelyn Ohashi Instagram

Miss Val Instagram

Scott Bregman Twitter

Ed Knowles Twitter

Original Perfect 10 Routine in Full

Updated Perfect 10 Routine in Full

Meryl Davis on World Championships, Hanyu and Medvedeva Mar 20, 2019

Show notes

The ISU 2019 World Figure Skating Championships in Japan are upon us.

Olympic champion figure skater Meryl Davis talks about what it’s like to compete at the top-level and gives her expert opinion on Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan and Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia.

Plus, the Olympic Channel Podcast put Meryl on the spot to make some predictions about who will come out on top.

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Meryl Davis on Instagram

Scott Bregman on Twitter

Ed Knowles on Twitter

Elana Meyers Taylor on concussion, transphobia and double standards Mar 13, 2019

Show notes

President of the Women Sports Foundation and top USA bobsleigher gave an in-depth chat about her career, head injuries and women’s issues.

We spoke to her just before the World Championships where, despite being one of the favourites to win, she crashed out and suffered her fifth concussion.

It’s not clear if she will retire or continue competing but this outspoken interview is evidence of her leadership skills.

Also, Elana spoke well about knowing the limits of your own body.

“A lot of women have this tendency to try to ‘tough it out’. I think (because) there’s a societal stigma that we are weaker sex... we push through things when we shouldn’t necessarily.”

LINKS:

Elana Meyers Taylor Twitter

Ed Knowles Twitter

Video of last week’s Ramla Ali podcast

Ramla Ali: The Muslim boxer who kept her triumphs secret from her family Mar 06, 2019

Show notes

It’s something to tell your mum about – winning a national championship. But Ramla Ali preferred to keep her boxing career secret. She was a refugee from Somalia who discovered boxing in London’s East End.

“My mum… in her eyes to be a good Muslim girl you have to be fully covered. But I think just different things work for different people.”

We visited her gym in London to talk family secrets and representing Somalia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

LINKS:

Ramla Ali Instagram

Andrew Binner Twitter

Ed Knowles Twitter

Battling online harassment, body image and busting stereotypes with Madison de Rozario Feb 27, 2019

Show notes

Battling online harassment, body image and busting stereotypes with Madison de Rozario

Kristina Vogel on being paralysed four months after cycling world title win Feb 20, 2019

Show notes

Kristina Vogel, one of the world’s very best female track cyclists, won her record-breaking 11th title at the 2018 UCI Track Cycling World Championships.

Four months later, she was paralysed and in a wheelchair.

A junior Dutch cyclist was practising standing starts when Vogel crashed into him at full speed.

The double Olympic champion feels no resentment.

“I don’t need to forgive (the person because) I have no anger about him.”

She doesn’t know if her family feels the same.

“I have never asked them if they have forgiven him… I am scared to question that.”

The 28-year-old talked about her life-changing accident, acceptance and forgiveness.

LINKS:

Kristina Vogel Instagram

Mirai Nagasu Tweet

Ed Knowles Twitter